NASCAR did review the team communications with Alex Bowman and Cole Custer
On Sunday, the NASCAR Cup Series raced on the Charlotte Roval. It was a playoff elimination race, trimming the field from 12 to just 8 drivers.
In the final laps, both Alex Bowman and Cole Custer were told to save their tires. Bowman had fellow Team Chevy drivers Ross Chastain just ahead. Meanwhile, Cole Custer had Ford Racing driver Joey Logano ahead of him.
Chastain and Logano were in a battle for the final transfer spot in the playoffs. Neither driver could afford to be passed. It appears the teams may have relayed that message, in not so many words.
Race manipulation has drawn hefty penalties from NASCAR in the past.
Was Alex Bowman told not to pass Ross Chastain? (Team Audio)
NASCAR comments on race manipulation
“At a certain point during this week, we will just remind teams, ‘Let’s not put yourselves or ourselves in jeopardy here,’ ” NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde stated via the “Hauler Talk” podcast.
“Fans should be coming to the race track and expecting a straight-up race where each position is fought for as hard as possible, especially at the end of a race.”
“If we do see something or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we’ve have done now several times. So we are aware, and if we hear something, we will certainly react if necessary.”
NASCAR did review team communications from both Alex Bowman and Cole Custer.
“The beauty of social media in this era is we have thousands of officials sitting at home and reviewing HBO Max cameras, and listening to radio transmissions,” Forde added.
“So it’s very, very difficult for anything to slip by. So we did review, and nothing rose to the level of a penalty.”
NASCAR points after the Charlotte Roval
Links
Alex Bowman | Denny Hamlin | Ross Chastain | Charlotte Motor Speedway | NASCAR
